Exploring Morbid Curiosity and Scary Play

Dr. Colton Scrivener, a behavioral scientist, discusses his research on morbid curiosity and scary play. He defines morbid curiosity as a curiosity or interest in potentially dangerous things, whether fictionally or in real life. Contrary to the belief that only certain individuals possess morbid curiosity, research shows that it is actually a trait that is normally distributed among people. In terms of horror movies, popular assumption suggests that people enjoy them for the adrenaline rush, but Dr. Scrivener's studies show that only a small number of horror fans are actually adrenaline junkies. Instead, many are genuinely scared and feel that engaging in scary play helps them learn about themselves and their limits of fear, building self-confidence and helping them overcome real-life challenges. While fear can be healthy to a certain extent, knowing when it becomes too much is important. People regulate their arousal and engagement with scary material to maintain a balance of enjoyment and fear. Contrary to the stereotype, enjoying horror movies and possessing morbid curiosity does not indicate a lack of empathy or pathological traits. In fact, Dr. Scrivener's studies suggest that horror fans tend to have greater compassion and do not display any significant differences in empathy compared to non-horror fans. Morbid curiosity is associated with higher openness and rebelliousness, but not strongly correlated with the Big Five personality traits or low disgust. Further research is needed to understand the therapeutic benefits of scary entertainment on mental health and its connection to our dream life. Scary play, including horror movies, can have positive effects on children by teaching them emotion regulation and self-competence, helping them navigate fear in a safe setting. Future research should explore who benefits from morbid curiosity and under what circumstances.